[updated October 2022]
Palace Lady Sent Out: Two Poems: No. 2
出 宫 人： 二 首
(2)
平 阳 拊 背 穿 驰 道
铜 雀 分 香 下 璧 门。
几 向 缀 珠 深 殿 里
妒 抛 羞 态 卧 黄 昏。
Chu Gong Ren: Er Shou
(2)
Ping yang fu ken chuan chi dao
Tong que fen xiang xia bi men.
Ji xiang zhui zhu shen dian li
Du pao xiu tai wo huang hun.
Palace Lady Sent Out: Two Poems: No. 2
Before Pingyang became an emperor favorite, her hometown mayor tapped her on the back and told her not to forget her people back home
Copper sparrow-topped tower, after Chao Chao’s death, his consorts with their bimen, needed to light incense so the birds can deliver it to him.
While Pingyang was deep inside the palace, she hung up her pearled headdress to be seen from several directions
If chosen by the emperor, the jealousy of others will force her to lie low in the shadows of dusk.
Notes:
Bimen: A round and flat piece of jade with a centered hole.
Pearled headdress: This was used as a signal to let those outside the palace and her family know that she was safe inside and doing okay.